Master Of Business Administration Education Research Articles

Augmenting the flipped classroom experience by integrating Revised Bloom's Taxonomy: A faculty perspective

AbstractIn a recent scenario, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) job placement rates have decreased since the pandemic started. MBA job placement rates are down since the pandemic started. What’s most alarming: the decline in MBA jobs (34%) has been steeper than the decline in overall jobs (27%), for the period between May 2019 and May 2020. The mere delivery of theoretical concepts, lack of practical knowledge and lag in imbibing soft skills have been identified as hurdles in the progress of MBA education. Some of the predominant industry‐needed skills need to be improved among MBA students. To address this issue, the author suggests integrating flipped classrooms with the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (RBT) as a new paradigm for delivering MBA education. The flipped classroom is a pedagogical approach in which direct instructions move from group learning to individual learning. This study primarily aims to understand the faculty perception of the pre‐, in‐ and post‐class activities facilitated using an integrated model of a flipped classroom and RBT (FC+RBT) among MBA students. The study's target population is the faculty members working in MBA institutions across Tamil Nadu, India. The findings of this study will be helpful for MBA institutions to enhance the quality of MBA education and empower management graduates to imbibe employability skills.

Does psychological safety at school affect psychological capital at work? Evidence from part-time MBA students

PurposeExisting research regarding the value of school education focuses primarily on the effects of educational level on core task performance after graduation. However, it is worth noting that knowledge, skills and abilities are not the only individual gains from school education. For part-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) students, the impact of MBA education on their real-time work during their two-year or so study journey has not been reported. This study aims to provide theoretical reasoning and empirical insights to clarify the impact of psychological safety at school on psychological capital (PsyCap) at work for part-time MBA students and examines the moderating role of constructive controversy at school in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachA survey of 286 part-time MBA students was conducted in a university located in Beijing to address the theoretical issue.FindingsStudents’ psychological safety at school is positively related to PsyCap at work. Constructive controversy at school acts as a positive moderator in the relationship between psychological safety at school and PsyCap at work.Originality/valueThis study establishes a link between the school and the workplace. It explores the relationship between an individual’s psychological states at school and at work and contributes to the literature on human resources and management education. Furthermore, the findings prove that students not only gain knowledge, skills and abilities from education but also positive psychological states, such as psychological safety.

Education for sustainable development at Chemnitz University of Technology

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the current state of education for sustainable development (ESD) at Chemnitz University of Technology (CUT) and to propose a guide for analysing sustainability at higher education institutions (HEI) in terms of implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and sustainability dimensions in the cognitive domain of education.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a new combination of two frameworks, the “Phase Model of Sustainability in MBA (Master of Business Administration) Education”, developed by Hart et al. (2017), to classify sustainability-focused topics and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO’s) learning objectives for ESD (UNESCO, 2017) to classify sustainability-related topics. This paper analysed CUT’s study programs and faculties, the websites of the study programs and the (junior) professorships, using documentary analysis with a new set of keywords relating to the topic of incorporating sustainability in curricula.FindingsThe faculties and study programs of CUT are at different stages of integrating ESD. However, topics such as sustainable energy and production, recycling, sustainable management and innovation are prominent in the educational offerings of CUT. As the university is a technical university, the focus on these topics reflects the general direction of the organisation. Based on this study results, this study gives recommendations for further development for ESD at CUT.Originality/valueThis paper presents the case of CUT and a new guide for analysing sustainability at HEI, including recommendations for further development in relation to ESD.

Executive assessment of MBA graduates in Nigerian companies

PurposeThe study aims to explore, via empirical evidence, executive assessment of Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduates in Nigerian companies.Design/methodology/approachThe research utilized a descriptive research design with structured questionnaire developed from relevant extant literature. Relevant data analysis, including determination of the psychometric properties of the research instrument, was undertaken via the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software.FindingsThe research results indicate that MBA graduates in the surveyed Nigerian organizations exhibited desired managerial tendencies only at an average extent.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations associated with the research include the use of convenience sampling approach, limited sample size and combination of respondents from different industrial sectors.Practical implicationsThe research has practical implications for organizational executives associated with management development programmes via MBA, in addition to university administrators with regard to content, format, curricula and process for MBA education programmes.Originality/valueThe research is original and has practical and theoretical values.

Employability and skill gap among MBA graduates in India: a literature review

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to review scholarly research on employability and skill gap in the context of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) education in India. This paper provides an overview of the critical themes and identifies research gaps for future investigations.Design/methodology/approachPublished empirical studies were reviewed and thematically analysed using NVivo 11 Pro.FindingsIn addition to technical aptitudes and skills, organisations also seek other attributes that are associated with employability, such as communication, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, problem-solving skills and interpersonal skills. Communication is an important skill frequently cited in the literature. Additionally, themes related to reasons for skill gaps are identified.Practical implicationsSoft skills and non-technical aptitudes should be emphasised in MBA education. Furthermore, significant reforms in MBA education programmes should be implemented in India to make graduates industry-ready.Originality/valueSeveral studies have been carried out to verify the existence of and reasons for skill gaps amongst MBA graduates in India. Through integrative literature review, the issue of skill gap is discussed. Future research directions are also recommended in this paper.

The development of emotional intelligence, self‐efficacy, and locus of control in Master of Business Administration students

AbstractSuccessful managers must develop strong interpersonal skills alongside their ability to achieve personal and organizational goals. For educational institutions to stay relevant, courses must equip students with necessary psychological competencies in addition to technical knowledge, skills and abilities for the constantly evolving business climate. We explored whether Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs aid in the development of psychological competencies, given that MBAs are a popular management development tool. Specifically, we investigated changes in MBA candidates' emotional intelligence (EI) ability, self‐efficacy (SE), and locus of control (LoC) in a pre‐post survey design over the course of a 1‐year MBA educational program and explored the relationship of candidate's baseline psychological status to their academic success in the MBA educational program. Participants were recruited from newly enrolled students at an international university in Asia. The study participants (53 MBA students, plus 26 psychology students, and 34 nonstudents as comparison groups) completed self‐report measures of EI, SE, and LoC at the beginning and end of a 1‐year MBA period. The MBA candidates showed significant improvement in EI, SE, and LoC‐internality, as well as an increase in LoC‐powerful others during the program. LoC‐powerful others at the beginning of the program also predicted MBA students' academic performance. The findings provide evidence that psychological competencies that may positively affect work performance are key benefits of MBA education.

Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder: Toward a Contextual Understanding of Compensation of Information Technology Professionals Within and Across Geographies

This study provides new insights on compensation and human resources practices of multinational corporations (MNCs) and how they differ from those of domestic companies. The authors focus on cross-geography differences in compensation for IT professionals and take a closer look at returns on master of business administration (MBA) education and information technology (IT) experience. They analyze data on more than 20,000 IT professionals across the United States and India and compare practices of United States–based MNCs and India-based firms for IT professionals in India and of United States–based MNCs for IT professionals in the United States and India. The study finds that MNCs source IT talent from emerging markets because of the lower cost of IT professionals in these markets, coupled with the availability of a large pool of technically qualified professionals. For IT professionals in India, results indicate that United States–based MNCs pay a premium (compared with India firms) for each year of IT experience. By contrast, India firms pay a premium (compared with United States–based MNCs) for IT professionals in India with an MBA. Interestingly, whereas United States–based MNCs do not pay a premium for MBA education in India, they do pay a premium for MBA education in the United States. The findings are informative for IT professionals to decide whether to pursue an MBA or invest in gaining firm-specific experience. The results also provide indirect evidence that MNCs apply a portfolio approach to optimize their profits by using knowledge workers in various locations based on their skills and costs.

The Relationship Between Human Capital and MBA Education: The Case Of Turkey

Human capital is one of the most important source for economic development and economic progress in a country. Of course, the quality of human capital will be determinative of the economic development and economic progress. Education, on the other hand, is the most important and the initial step in improving the quality of human capital and in achieving a sufficient level of qualification regarding human capital. Today, undergraduate education programs, especially Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs, make a greater contribution in upgrading the quality of the human capital. MBA programs have become widespread in Turkey as well as in many countries around the world. There is a necessity of measuring the quality level of human capital which is provided by the education especially, MBA programs. Within the framework of this necessity, in this article, it is aimed to measure the level of contribution of MBA programs to human capital in Turkey. According to the results of the study, there is a statistically significant relationship between economic performance and the quality of human capital obtained through MBA education. However, according to another result of the study, the effect of MBA education on the level of disposable personal income takes time. Moreover, more effort to increase the awareness of the public and private institutions about the contribution of MBA education to human capital is needed.

An Effective MBA: Perspectives of Students, Faculty, and Employers

The demand for Master of Business Administration (MBA) education has increased tremendously over recent years. Having an MBA qualification is seen as a passport for a managerial role. The prestige of MBA education, however, has fluctuated. There have been numerous critiques of the MBA. This article examined the existing literature on perspectives of MBA faculty, MBA students, and employers on the effectiveness of MBA programs. So, from a student perspective, what are their expectations? Do their expectations get fulfilled? MBA faculty will frequently ponder if they are adequately preparing students to be leaders in organizations. Employers expect MBA graduates to excel in the workplace. In addition to the different perspectives, we offered several suggestions for greater success and satisfaction of students, faculty, and employers.

Compensation and Employment Impact of a Full-time MBA Program

The changing Master of Business Administration (MBA) marketplace and considerable direct and indirect costs for an MBA degree mean that school administrators and other stakeholders need a better understanding of what factors may influence the rate of return to their MBA programs. We investigated the potential of using analytical frameworks to identify those variables that may predict employment probabilities and starting salaries of full-time MBA graduates, in the context of a single, private MBA program. Our results suggest that for graduates of this particular program, pre-MBA salary and work experience in accounting, banking, finance, and consulting industries predicted higher post-MBA salary levels, as did having a liberal arts major as an undergraduate. Other human capital measures, such as Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores or elite undergraduate education, were not associated with higher employment probabilities or salary levels for this program’s students, while having an undergraduate business major was associated with lower employment probability. Although our study has limited inference to determine the value of an MBA education more generally, it has potentially important implications for administrators of MBA programs, who could gain useful insights on applying empirical analysis to their own programs. Although this process can be costly and time consuming without a supportive institutional environment, it could provide useful evidence-based guidelines for practice with substantial payoffs for both the program and the students.

Comparison Study of MBA Education between China and Japan

Master of Business Administration (MBA) education is growing rapidly in China, while many business schools in Japan are having difficulty in recruiting new students. The MBA education in China and Japan followed a different course and showed very different trends. In this article, we make a comparative study of MBA education in China and Japan. The emphasis is put on analyzing the reasons that caused the difference in the MBA education in the two Asian countries. We trace back the development of MBA education in China and Japan, examining the MBA education from the viewpoint of social environment, enterprise culture, and government support and control as well as the incentive and faculty management system of universities.

The Effects of Part-Time MBA Programs on Students: The Relationships Between Students and Their Employers

The authors explore how the relationship between part-time master of business administration (MBA) students and their employers changes as students proceed through their MBA program by examining the degree to which students are integrated into their employer organizations. Significant positive relationships observed between students’ progress through their MBA program and the integration factors of coworker support and future prospects with their employers suggest that an MBA education can have a positive effect on employee–employer integration levels. Consequently, in addition to increasing business knowledge and skills, an MBA degree appears to assist with integrating employees and employers.

MBA education quality, satisfaction and loyalty of students

The purpose of this study is to test the education quality measurement scale of Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in Vietnam and to explore the relationships between the education quality, satisfaction and loyalty of MBA students. CFA results (sample size: 307) indicate that MBA program’s education quality measurement scale includes five components: (1) Perceived program quality, (2) Perceived quality of life, (3) Perceived quality of lecturing faculty, (4) Perceived quality of academic facilities, and (5) Perceived quality of outcome. SEM results also indicate that education quality and image are important factors that make students satisfied and loyal to a MBA program. In addition, factors as university form (public and private) do not alter the above relationships. Implications for managers and directions for future research are also discussed.

The Seoul National University Business School: Managing Global Challenge and Cultural Change

The Seoul National University Business School (SNUBS) consists of two sub-organizations, the College of Business Administration (CBA) and the Graduate School of Business (GSB). The former, taking control of undergraduate, master, and doctorate programs, has been the main body of the SNU Business School. The latter, newly established at the dawn of Master of Business Administration (MBA) education in the country, is to manage the "Global MBA" program which is aimed at achieving global recognition in World's business school rankings. As Seoul National University has been administered by the government, faculty and staff were not accustomed to a different type of institution conforming to the North American standard, for example, getting evaluated by the class they taught. A few professors were negative about the new program. However, most of the faculty tried to be positive and proactive about creating new curricula, once they understood the rationale behind the need of MBA education in Seoul National University. As the Global MBA was about to be included in the rankings list, the global competition will be inevitable and ever challenging. If Seoul National University was aimed at reaching number 10 within ten years, the school had far more way to go despite its unique characteristics and strong advantages. To make matters more demanding, competitors from all over the world, particularly Asian institutes, were exerting themselves and going up the ladders rapidly. Considering these changes and challenges, what are the strategic issues and constraints faced by the SNUBS? What have they done in the past and what should they do in the future? What should be given strategic priority? The case will help readers to dive deep into these management questions and analysis.

Exploring The Media Strategy For International Marketers With Small Budgets: A Cross-Country Consumer Perspective

This paper reports a cross-country comparative study of the media choices for the marketing of Master of Business Administration education in China and the United States from a consumer perspective. To date, limited discussion in the standardization versus adaptation debate has focused specifically on the issue of media strategy from the perspective of a specific category of international marketers, even though media planning is often the most costly and challenging part of international marketing communication. The current study is an effort to bridge this gap.

Signal quality and service quality: a study of local and international MBA programs in Vietnam

PurposeAlthough it is well known that firms can use signals to inform consumers about the unobservable aspect of their products or services in a market where asymmetric information exists, research on the relationship between signal quality and service quality is largely ignored. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of signal quality in the quality of Master of Business Administration (MBA) education in Vietnam.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 457 MBA students in both local and international MBA programs in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, was used to test a model that incorporates the relationships between signal quality, program investments, perceived quality, and program loyalty by means of structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results of this study indicate that signal quality has a positive impact on program quality. In addition, program investments affect both the signal quality and program quality, and program quality underlies program loyalty. Finally, no significant difference is found between local and international programs.Research limitations/implicationsA major limitation of this study is the investigation of only one education service, i.e. MBA education. An extension to other types of education as well as other services would enhance the generalizability of the results.Practical implicationsThe results of this study suggest that MBA programs, local as well as international, should send clear, consistent, and credible signals to their students in order to position their brands in the market where information asymmetry exists.Originality/valueA major contribution of this study is the use of signaling theory to examine the relationship between signal quality and service quality.

Managing for “creativity”: MBAs and the transfer of creativity?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of education, in particular, the Master of Business Administration (MBA), on China's continual development and economic growth. This paper concerns itself with the “software” necessary to effect a qualitative transformation – education. MBA education's growth in China is reflective of the significant shortages of managerial expertise, but the MBA's roots in and transfer to China does not necessarily make it an agent of economic transformation and modernisation. This paper suggests that the MBA education's conceptual base and preoccupation, as well as Chinese managerial practices, may render management in China more rational and even, more efficient, but not necessarily more creative.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on a critique of MBA education and the critical role played by communities in fostering creativity in building its claims, and presents an overview based on analysis of research materials.Findings – This paper stresses th...

Giving Credits Where Credit's Not Due?

This article comments on a book on management education, titled Managers Not MBAs: A Hard Look at the Soft Practice of Managing and Management Development, by Henry Mintzberg. The cover of the book displays a picture of three diverse and smiling students dressed in academic regalia--turned upside down. This picture is misleading. It creates the expectation that the content of the book will turn Master of Business Administration (MBA) education upside down. The book does not do this; it does not flip the mammoth institution of MBA education on its pointy head. Instead, the book plots a time line of management education and shows where the MBA fits--and does not fit-- within it. Nonetheless, the result of this several-hundred page exercise is surprisingly subversive because Mintzberg convincingly demonstrates that the MBA does not fit at the end of the time line, a position it is commonly assumed to occupy, even own, by divine right. This repositioning has serious implications for our perceptions of the merit of the increasingly popular MBA degree. Mintzberg argues that the MBA teaches management by analysis, not the soft practice of management. Management practice requires a delicate and complex mix of art and craft, along with the science of analysis. MBAs are taught the science, but not the art and craft.

HRD in the People's Republic: The MBA ‘with Chinese characteristics’?

In this article, we consider Human Resource Development (HRD) in the People's Republic and analyze the value of an MBA in a transitional economy. MBA education is growing rapidly in China, while at the same time business schools in America are facing declining applications and mounting criticisms of the product. Should then the Master of Business Administration (MBA) be valued differently in a developing economy, or is it open to the same criticisms leveled at it in the west? We use the ‘resource-based’ theory of the firm to attempt to answer this question. We trace the development of MBA education in China between 1984 and the present, placing this process in the context of the country's radical educational, economic and political changes. We ask if the Chinese government has adopted the same approach to fostering MBA provision as it has to nurturing business growth. If so, what might we learn about possible future trends in tertiary business education? In order to look more closely at the practicalities of the Chinese MBA, we briefly consider the development of one of the earliest programs in China—the European Union-funded China Europe International Business School (CEIBS).